Mrs. Bessie Lee Pettway

PETTWAY, Mrs. Bessie Lee - Age 84, passed away Friday, May 19, 2017 at St Frances Medical Center in Colorado Springs, CO. Family hour and viewing 10:00 AM Friday, June 2, 2017 at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, G-5443 N. Saginaw St., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM. Interment Lovedale Memorial Cemetery, G-5175 E. Bristol Rd., Burton, MI. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:00 AM Friday. Mrs. Pettway will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd. Public viewing during family hour only. “A Time to Begin” Summer was the season for the birth of Bessie L. Pettway. She took her first breath of life on the tenth day of July, 1932 in Camden, Alabama to the late Edward Gordon and Ellen Dora Abrams. After the death of her mother she was raised by her uncle and aunt the late A.C. and Cora Bell Nettles. She accepted Christ at an early age at the Antioch Baptist Church in Camden, Alabama. “A Time to Embrace and a Time to Plant” Bessie met and fell in love with her high school sweetheart, Eddie W. Pettway while in high school at Camden Academy. After graduating Bessie left Camden, Alabama and moved to Flint, Michigan. There she joined Eddie in Holy Matrimony on October 3, 1953 and to this union were born five children. Eddie and Bessie joined the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in 1954. Bessie was active in Sunday school, The Children’s Department and the Melody Chorus. Bessie’s early career was at Montgomery Wards in downtown Flint, later she was blessed to become a Dietician at McLaren Hospital for twenty years until retirement in 1966. “A Time to Love” Bessie’s love was given freely to her children, family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, church family and friends. Bessie enjoyed reading and studying the Word of God. Bessie always enjoyed cooking, baking, floral arrangements, and keeping her mind fresh while doing word search puzzles. Bessie was preceded in death by her parents Edward Gordon and Ellen Dora Abrams, daughter Anita Parlor, siblings Robert Ross, Theodore Otis Gordon Sr., Jimmy Gordon, Carl Gordon, Julia Mae Finklea, Marguerite Ellis, brother in law Eddie Berry and cousin, Adella Abrams. “A Time to Die” Bessie L. Pettway was called to glory to be with her Lord on Friay, May 19, 2017. Her memory is left to be cherished by her children, Sheila C. Crump of Flint, MI, Tyrone Pettway of AZ, Victor Pettway of Flint,MI, Sheba Garth (Pastor Tracy Garth) of Colorado Springs, Co; two sisters, Dora Ann Robinson of Cleveland, OH, and Ann Marie Berry of SC; three brothers, Ed Gordon, Walter (Jane) Gordon and Willie Gordon all of Camden, AL; sixteen grandchildren, thrity-five great grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren. Special and longtime friend and co-worker Mrs. Inez Andrews, God-daughter Antoinette Williams both of Flint, Michigan, Mrs. Fannie Barfield, Sue Henry and Regina Marshall all of Flint, MI and Phyliss Gladden of Colorado Springs, CO, these ladies were very dear love ones of Miss Bessie Pettway.

Mrs. Bessie Lee Pettway

July 10, 1932 - May 19, 2017